“I have always accepted that I am responsible for my team and realize Wada’s strict rules are an important protection for the sport I love.” Jannik Sinner previously revealed in a statement after WADA handed him a 3-month suspension in the doping controversy. Although he was innocent with “no fault or negligence,” as the ITIA noted, the World No. 1 still faced the penalty. Yes, he didn’t take the banned substance Clostebol on purpose, but it entered his system, right? Although his physiotherapist was responsible for the unwanted incident, he was a part of Sinner’s team. As a result, The Fox has been away from multiple ATP events lately. Sure, he will be back soon, but missed opportunities cannot be retrieved. One small mistake can lead to chaos. And guess what? A Ukrainian WTA pro also came across a similar situation in the past. One, where she almost committed a mistake akin to Sinner. So, how did she save herself?

During an interaction with a Ukrainian outlet, WTA star Elina Svitolina spilled the beans on her own ‘potential’ doping incident. There was a problem she had in choosing a skin cream. Turns out, she came in contact with a banned substance. “You can’t just take a vitamin: everything must be checked. Even the face cream can’t just be taken and used. I had a case: I have very dry skin, and I bought a regular cream at the pharmacy,” reported We Love Tennis on April 24.

Svitolina added, “I decided to check with my doctor if it was possible to use it. He looked at the ingredients and said, ‘This cream can only be used when you are not at a tournament. Because if it is used during a competition, the test will reveal a prohibited substance.'” The World No. 17 tried to emphasize how strict the rules have become these days. Hence, applying a random product on your skin can lead to unexpected consequences.

“Imagine: an ordinary cream sold freely in pharmacies. Now everything has reached a point of absurdity.” Per Svitolina, “the tests themselves have become much more sensitive. Sometimes, even a microscopic amount of a substance can give a positive result.”

Perhaps that’s what happened in the case of Iga Swiatek. Similar to Sinner, she also faced a suspension after testing positive last year. Traces of the banned substance Trimetazidine (TMZ) were found in her tests. Unlike Sinner, she received a brief period of ban from competitive tennis in late 2024. WADA wanted to appeal against her to push the case into the Court of Arbitration. But guess what? There was no need for a hearing. How come?

Just like Sinner, the ITIA had termed Swiatek innocent as well. After an independent panel’s report came out, the agency revealed there was “no fault or negligence” from The Pole. The 23-year-old and her team proved that she didn’t take TMZ on purpose. Earlier this year, WADA eventually came up with a statement and withdrew the appeal against the five-time slam winner. Reason? “WADA’s scientific experts have confirmed that the specific contaminated melatonin scenario, as presented by the athlete and accepted by the ITIA, is plausible and that there would be no scientific grounds to challenge it at CAS,” reported the agency’s website in January.

Circling back to Sinner, he’s currently preparing for an awaited comeback. The suspension hasn’t affected his zeal to get better in his game. On the flipside, he’s got ample time to improve shots and technique through regular on-court training.

Jannik Sinner to make ATP appearance in May 2025

Jannik Sinner knew he didn’t do anything wrong. Still, he accepted that the suspension was a necessity for him. Why? After the news of his ban broke online, he released a statement. It came to light that the decision was taken to avert a bigger risk. “This case had been hanging over me for nearly a year, and the process still had a long time to run with a decision, maybe only at the end of the year,” he said, as reported by the BBC on February 15.

In a recent media interaction from days ago, Sinner talked about how he’s managed his time during suspension, especially when it comes to making improvements to his performance. Speaking to Sky Sports Italy, the three-time slam champion said, “Honestly, I have done many different things, I have spent a lot of time with my family, especially with my dad. We have done different things with my best friends who are in Monte Carlo. I went go-karting, we went on a bike ride, in short, did many new things.”

Moreover, he’s also worked “hard in the gym to be even more physically ready” upon return.” In general, “Everything is going well.” His official training sessions began on April 13, and he’s been practicing at the Monte Carlo County Club, alongside former doubles partner and British pro Jack Draper.

Next month, Jannik Sinner will enter his first ATP event, the Italian Open, after his return. Not to mention, he will also be eligible to compete at the next slam of 2o25 – the French Open. It will be intriguing to see if he succeeds in lifting his second straight major trophy this season after winning the Australian Open in January. What are your thoughts on his prospects in Paris? Let us know in the comments below.